Devices utilizing earphones, wired or wireless, for providing speech, music, etc. to a user have become popular. Such devices can be portable media players, mobile telephones, and portable digital assistants. Detection of whether the earphone is in listening position, i.e. applied at the ear, has been utilized for reducing power consumption when the user is not able to listen to any provided audio content. For example in US 2006/0045304 A1, it is disclosed that a detection element comprising two electrodes on an outer surface of the earphone body such that when the earphone is applied at the ear, skin within the ear comes into contact with the electrodes. The head of the user conducts electricity between the electrodes whereby application of the earphone at the ear can be detected.
However, since the devices are intended to be used by any ordinary user, it is considered uncertain that detection of application is ensured since any of the electrodes may have poor contact with tissue of user. It is therefore a further desire to provide gear that provides a more reliable detection while it is still easy to use by an ordinary user.